CLIPBOARD : Single-Family Home Futures

The month of April didn't exactly bring showers of home-building permits, but neither did the total drop behind March. The 418 permits issued for single-family homes in April, the latest month for which information is available, was about the same as the previous month's total, 415.

The four-month total of 1,103, however, is the lowest for any of the last six years. The second-lowest total during the 1986-91 period, 1,353 last year, was 18% higher than the current figure.

Compared to 1990's four-month total, 15 cities and the unincorporated areas issued fewer permits this year. The unincorporated areas, Yorba Linda and San Clemente, declined most noticeably. Nine cities recorded comparative increases, led by San Juan Capistrano and Cypress.

Here's how the cities stack up, listed from the largest decrease to the largest increase in permits issued: